Following Jesus through Jerusalem

Following Jesus on his last journey in JerusalemHere we will see

some of the holy places in Jerusalem that were part of this journey – they are places that many people visit today.

Jerusalem todaya holy city for Christian Muslim and Jewish people

The Western Wall – a place of prayer for the Jewish community

Christian Churches andthe Dome of the Rock Mosque

Jerusalem is a living place a home to Palestinian and Jewish people

Markets in the old city

Sadly, conflict and fear keep people apart.

People have been hurt and some Palestinians lost their homes and are separated from their families by this wall

A divided city

Here the wall is built around a school.

The wall stops the children from getting to school and others cannot go to their church or mosque in Jerusalem.

A city in search of peaceThe people of Jerusalem want us to pray for the peace that Jesus asks us all to work for,wherever we are.

Here is the word for peace in Arabic, Hebrew and English

“the people cried out, ‘Blessings on the King who comes, in the name of the Lord. Peace in heaven and glory in the highest heavens!”

Luke 19:38

Jesus entered Jerusalem…

“If you had only understood the message of peace!

But alas it is hidden from your eyes.”

Luke 19:42

Jesus wept over Jerusalemas he walked down the Mount of Olives

View over Jerusalem from the church Dominus Flevit, on the Mount of Olives

At the last supper Jesus washed his friends feet and shared bread and wine, saying:

“This is my body. This is my blood.”

It was his sign of sharing. Jesus showed us what to do.

He was afraid but he gave everything he had so that we could learn what love means:

to work for justice and peace in service and sharing.

Jesus prayed in the garden of

Gethsemane

Some of the ancient olive trees are still in the garden today. Olive trees are important for their fruit, their oil and their history. Gethsemane means Oil Press

Have you ever been really afraid and alone?

This helps us think of what it was like for Jesus,praying in the garden of Gethsemane.

All his friends had left him

Jesus afraid and alone

Peter, friend of Jesus, turns his back on him

This is at the Church of St Peter in Gallicantu (St Peter at the place where the cock crew) near Mount Zion

Jesus carries his crossJesus fell because his

cross was heavy. He was helped by the stranger, Simon.

Do we help people who are sad, lonely, afraid? Do we help them to carry their cross in life?

Jesus’ life,death and resurrection… a message of peace for the world

In the Paternoster Church (Our Father) the words of the prayer that Jesus taught are shown in 62 languages. – a sign that Jesus came to teach us all.

Prayer for peace in Jerusalem

We pray for all those who have suffered over the years of struggle;For those who are grieving for their lost loved ones.For those whose lives have been changed forever because of injuries.

Dear God, their pain is so great todaybring your healing, bring your peace to Jerusalem.

• For our Christian brothers and sisters in Jerusalem we pray: The Peace of Christ

• For our Jewish brothers and sisters in Jerusalem we pray: Shalom Aleichem

• For our Muslim brothers and sisters in Jerusalem we pray: Assalamu Alaikum

Pope Francis Prayer for Peace Open our eyes and our hearts,and give us the courage to say:“Never again war!” With war everything is lost.Instil in our hearts the courage to takeconcrete steps to achieve peace.

Lord, God of Abraham,God of the Prophets, God of love,You created us and you call us tolive as brothers and sisters.Give us the strength dailyto be instruments of peace.Enable us to see everyone who crosses our path asour brother or sister.

Pope Francis, Holy Land May 2014

Pax ChristiSt Joseph’sWatford Way, LondonNW4 4TYwww.paxchristi.org.uk

Photo credits to: Anne Farr, Giovanni Scudiero and Pat Gaffney